Hind Rajab’s mother speaks at DFF25 premiere in Doha. Photo: Instagram
Doha: The inaugural Doha Film Festival opened with an emotional address from Wissam Hamada, mother of six-year-old Hind Rajab, whose final phone call from Gaza became one of the most haunting moments of the war.
“Hind is gone, but her voice still wakes me every dawn,” she told the audience on Thursday, November 20, urging the world to safeguard Gaza’s children.
Speaking before the Mena premiere of The Voice of Hind Rajab, Hamada said she could not bring herself to watch the film but felt compelled to share her message.
She continued, “My message is not just words – it’s the pain of a mother who lost her daughter, and then found in her universal love a message from God, and understood that my role is to carry the voice of the children of Gaza to the world, the children who live in the heart of war, in darkness, deprived of their most basic rights, of their dreams that are snatched away before they grow up.”
“I understood that my role is to carry the voices of Gaza’s children to the world—children living in the heart of war, in darkness, deprived of their basic rights and of the dreams taken from them before they grow,” she added.
“But I have not lost my humanity or my purpose. That is why I stand before you today—to be their voice, to say to the world, to save the childhood of Gaza before its last light goes out.”
Directed by Tunisian filmmaker Kaouther Ben Hania, the film is built around real audio recordings of Hind’s calls to Palestinian Red Crescent responders as she remained trapped in a car under Israeli fire. Ben Hania, cast members and the emergency responders portrayed in the film attended the screening, marking the first time the actors and the real-life team met.
Hamada, who was evacuated from Gaza in September after prolonged negotiations, received a long ovation as she thanked Qatar and the festival for supporting her daughter’s story.
Tunisia has submitted the film for the 2026 Academy Awards. It premiered to acclaim at the Venice International Film Festival and will next screen in Marrakech and at the Red Sea International Film Festival in Saudi Arabia.
Running until Friday, November 28, the Doha Film Festival will showcase 97 films from 62 countries, including:
The event is organised by the Doha Film Institute, which marks its 15th anniversary this year.
This post was last modified on November 23, 2025 11:17 pm